Ornithology Chapter 1 and Suborder Paleognathae

What are the characteristics of birds?

- Vertebrates (reptilia —> alongside crocodiles, turtles, snakes, and lizards)

- extant (living) organisms with feathers

- Bipedal (two legs)

- Wings (Most fly)

- All lay eggs

- no teeth, have a bill

What are birds defined as?

extant organisms with feathers

Parts of birds?

1) wishbone (furcula)
2) keel of breastbone
3) 15 vertebrate in neck
4) bones in hand fused
5) wrist reduced to 2 bones
6) knee bends backward and ankle bends forward

How many species in the world?

10,000

How many genera?

2,000

how many orders of birds?

40

What was lost in the superorder paleognathae?

lack or have a reduced sternal keel (Ex: ostrich)

What is unique about tinamou?

weak flyers, long legs, large body, little head

Difference between ostrich and emu?

ostrich have long neck and emu have short neck, long legs, big body

Characteristics of Kiwi?

- little body and little leg

- nocturnal

- harder to find

- more secretive to more species are being discovered

What is the most recently extinct paleognaths?

elephant bird